Auxiliary steering device.



J. M. TOPPER & G. H. CHAPLAIN.

AUXILIARY STEERING DEVICE.

APPLIUATION FILED APR. 9, 1910. RBNEWED AUG. 1, 1911.

Patented Mar.19,1912.

@Ivi/151490099 4 J. M. TOPPER @E G. H. CHAPLAIN. AUXILIARY STEERING DBVIGE. A PPLIUATION FILED APILQ, 1910. RBNEWED AUG. 1, 1911.

1,02,465. l Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

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JOHN M. TOPPER ANI) GEORGE H. CHAPLIN, 0F LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS.

' AUXILIAR? S'llLERl\lGry DEVICE.

1,020,465, Specification of Letters intent.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912:.

Application 'liteit Apri?. E), 1.910, Serial le. 554.571. Renewed lugust i, 19H.. Sezial No. {M -1,688.

T0 all colto/n, it mcy colere/1% Be it known that. we, JonN M. 'llorrnn and Groen H. Cnarnaix, citizens oi' the United States, residing at .laavenwortln in the county ot Leavenworth and State or' Kansas, have invented certain new and uselul Improvements in Auxiliary Steering Dcvices, of which the following .is a cation.

rlhis invention relates to steering mechanism and has for an object to provide a Vehicle, aeroplane, or the like with two separate mechanisms for steering the same which can be alternately thrown into or out of operation at the will ot' the operator.

The invention aims to provide a steering mechanism with aA reserve or safety device which may be thrown into operation when the main steering mechanism is broken or otherwise rendered inoperative, and to thereby insure the complete control of the steering road-wheels of the vehicle.

For 4a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in Whichz- Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of the forward end ot' a motor vehicle having the improved apparatus applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of one end of the front axle disclosing the connections ot' the steering devicel to the steering road wheel. Fig. 3 is a detail view of thel steering post and the clutelrsleeve Veso which is mounted thereon, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of a modification of the device.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followinV description and indicated in all the views ot the drawings by the sam reference characters.

Referring to the drawings thenumeral 10 designates the frame of a motor vehicle which is provided in the usual manner with a steering post 11. The lower end of the steering post 11 extends through the frame 10 and into a suitable housing 12,v in the opposits ends of which it is suitably journaled. Loosely disposed for rotation about the ost 11 are a pair ot' spaced worms 13 am.I 14 which respectivel mesh with sectors l5 and 16 keyed upon spindles 17 transversely jourlnaled within the housing 12. The spindles 17 extend through one side ot' the housing 12 and carry, in rigid .relation thereon, arms 18 and 19 depending against the side of the housing. The lower ends oit' the arms 18 and 19 are pivot-ally connected respectively to the rear extremities ot the connecting rods 2t) and 2l. '.lhe arms lt?A and 19 are keyed to the spindles 17.

The steering post 11 is )rovided with a sliding clutch-sleeve 22 in tlle opposite ends of which are formed teeth 23 and 24 for alternate engagement with teeth 25and 26 which are respectively formed upon the loose worms l-'l and 13 at their inner ends. The post ll is provided with a longitudinal slot 2T for the reception ot a key 28 which is carried upon the inner tace of the clutchsleeve 22. This arrangement admits of the longitudinal movement of the sleeve 22 upon the post 1l but ell'ects the rigid. rotation of the sleeve with the post. The sleeve 22 is provided midway of its ends with a peripheral groove 29 into which are extended pins 30 carried in the extremities of a yoke 31 which is engaged against one side of the sleeve 22. The yoke 3l is rigidly carried upon the lower end of a shitting lever 32 which is pivoted at its upper extremity upon a block The block 33 is' secured against the under face of a brace 34- suitahly mounted in the frame 10. between the brace 3l and the shiftinglever 32 for drawing the lever upwardly to engage the sleeve 22 with the worm 14. A suitable lever 36 is hinged at its lower end centrally upon theshifting lever 32 and extends upwardly through an elongated slot 37 formed in the ,brace 3i to a point adjacent the foot of the operator. The foot lever 36 carries a plurality of ratchetv teeth 38 for engagement with a dog 39 which is positioned upon the brace 3-1 and extends over the slot 37. In Fig. l the 'foot lever` 36 is disclosed ina depressed position having the teeth 38 engaged with the stop 39 to hold the shifting lever 32 in a downward position against the tension of the spring' 35. When the shifting lever is in this posi tion, the sleeve 22 is engaged against the A spring 35 is disposed worm 13 and interlocks the worm 13 with i necting Y is found desirable,

tremities beyond the upper and lower faces of the axle 43 to admit of the free rotation of the 'steering knuckle 42. If desired,l the connecting arms may be projected forwardly or in other convenient positions, ac cording to the structure of the vehicle7 or other devices to which the improved mechanism is attached. The steering knuckle 42 is further provided with a pair of spaced steering arms 44 and 45 which extend rearwardly therefrom and are suitably connected to the extremities of steering cross-rods 46 and 47 respective-ly. The arms 44 and and the steering cross-reds l46 and 47 ymay be located forwardly ofnth'e axle 43 or against. the opposite sides of the same, as without departing from the spirit of the invention.

From this construction it is readily observed that the vehicle or other device to which the improved mechanism is applied is provided with two separate steering devices which 'may be alternately connected to the steering` post l1 through the medium of the sliding clutch 22. In Fig. 1 the lower steering device is disclosed in connection with the post 11 so that when the postll is rotated. the clutch sleeve 22 is turned therewith so that the worm 13 is actuated to swing the sector 15 and the desired angle. The arm 18 moves the con/ rod 2O therewith to throw the con- 40 into the desired angle to knuckle which carries the steering road-wheel 48. Shouldthis steering mechanism breakor be otherwise rendered inoperative and the operator desire to gain control of the machine he forces the foot lever 3C forwardly; depressing the same slightly to raise the teeth 38 from the dog 39 and to admit of the action of the spring upon the shifting lever 32. rl`he shifting necting arm swing the steering lever 32 raises the clutch-sleeve 22 into engagement with the worm 14 to lock the worm to the post 11. The upper steering device is now brought into action and the broken parts of the lower steering device can in no way interfere with the operation thereof.

The modified torm `of thedevice as disclosed in Fig. 4 comprises a steering post 49 having spaced pinions O'and 51 loosely` mounted for rotation upon its lower end, and which carries t'or sliding engagement between the pini-ons 50 and 51 a clutchl sleeve V52. The

arm 18 into the clutch-sleeve 52 is formed similar to the clutch-sleeve 22 in the prelferred form and' is vibrated between the pinions 50 and 5l through the medium bf the shifting lever 53. A pair of racks 54 and 55 are arranged for against the pinions 50 and. 51 respectively. The inner extremities of the racks 54 and 55 are hinged to connecting rods 56 and 57 which-extend forwardly to a point adjacent. the opposite side of the vehicle where they are pivotally secured to the-steering crossrods 58 and 59. The steering cross-rods 58 and 59 are connected at their opposite extremities upon the spaced steering arms 60 and 61 which are carried by the steering knuckles 62. The steering knuckles 62 are disclosed in the drawings as being supported.

upon theopposite extremities of an axle 63. ln a like manner the steering arms 60 and 61 and the steering cross-rods 58 and 59 may be arranged forwardly or against the opposite sides of the axle 63. In this modified formit is readily observed upper or lower steering mechanisms become inoperative that the clutch-sleeve 52 may be meshed .relation that should the I tittedfto the opposite pinion and throw thev unimpa'ir'ed, device into operation.

Having thus ldescribed the invention what is 'claimed as new is A steering device including a frame, a

the frame, spaced actuating members upon the post, separate steering devices connected to the actuating members, a sliding clutch keyed to the post between said actuating members, a shifting lever carried by the trarne for moving the clutch alternately into engagement with said actuating members, a yoke lower end of the shifting lever and engaged with said clutch, a foot lever hinged, to the shifting lever and extending upwardly through the frame, teeth formed upon the edge of said foot-lever and a stop carried by the frame for engagement with said teeth tolock the foot-lever in a depressed position.

ln testimony whereof, we atlix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

post carried by Witnesses EARL DoUGLAss, Howaim H. Fisiiniz.

formed upon the 

